ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

bureaucracy

Bureaucracy is a way of organizing things with a lot of rules, processes and paperwork. It's like a game of giving orders and carrying out tasks, but it's also like a big machine with lots of different people and pieces. Basically, it's a way for the government and other kinds of organizations to make sure that things are done in a very organized way, like making sure that everyone is treated the same and that the rules are followed.